La Fête des Lumières in Lyon

La Fête des Lumières is an international event founded in Lyon.

It is known for its lights, which brighten up the town for four nights. It even brings in a touch of magic, reconnecting the population to remind the time of 1852. It was a time of social troubles, floods and urban change. They chose to build a statue of Virgin Mary on Fouvière Hill. The beginning of this tradition was scheduled for September 8th, the date of the Aldermen procession; with the flooding, the delivery of the statue was delayed. The weather improved in December. The people of the town spontaneously placed candles on their windowsills and on their balconies, it was a symbol of spirit and being united. For over decades the tradition became popular and the citizens are very dedicated and fond of

In the 1960’s the town set up windowsill competitions, particularly for the food shops. The competitions signified the beginning of the Christmas season and the religious celebrations. In 1989, Lyon developed the very first Plan lumière, to improve the quality of the lights in the city, particularly the highlights of the city. It was the very first European city to launch this project.

The lights started to have more meaning for the city, to attract more the squares, streets, bridges, and riverbanks and rivers themselves. Lyon then became the city known today. It’s known for its’ beauty and its heritage. It brings out a special atmosphere during nightfall.

The lights signify their heritage and the new identity for the city. They take the visitors on a journey filled with magic and dreams. It is now a part of Lyon’s identity, which has grown and spreads across the world.

For our October half term club we are looking at light festivals in different countries around the world: Spain, France, Japan, England, Thailand, Germany, and Holland. Edufun has planned two days full of activities and games available for the children around Cheltenham and Gloucester. By Lula Chapman Hureau

Over the summer, children had the opportunity to explore and develop cross curricular and intercultural skills through: games, language tasters, cookery and craft.The children tried different styles of cuisine, tasted and created their own recipes. They engaged and shared experiences with people from different countries like Cameroon, Syria, France, Spain, Srilanka, India and China.It was like going on a world adventure without leaving England! The Journey Firstly they set off for India, where a guest chef, Andy Tibb from Poco Culina came and showed them how to make ‘masala’, dips made from a mixture of different Indian spices. Secondly, the children then got to taste and make Srilankan food.In Eastern style, the children were also hosted in Syria by Hanan. Hanan got them to taste and make fresh Syrian food with. On the menu were: Foul and Fattoush salads including a rich pudding, LaialyAlSham (Damascus night). These were all quick to cook and healthy meals.Finally, the children had Edufun founder Regina, from Cameroon who showed the children some typical Cameroonian food. Their favourites were ‘puff puff, plantain, guava, passion fruit and mango smoothies. They children tasted and cooked on a real tropical journey.

Language exploration and creativity

After Asia and Africa, the children travelled back to Europe to explore some of the languages they encountered including French and Spanish language.Some of the words the children enjoyed learning were ‘Namaste’, which is a formal greeting, ‘Satay’, a Malaysian dish which is meat grilled on a skewer and it also contains peanuts, and‘paratha’ which is a type of Indian flat bread.“Have good Practice for the Future” Lula. As the children created their recipes and learnt new words, they also came up with many expressions. Some particular wordswhich they invented as they mouldedthe ‘paratha’ dough in their hands to get it into the right temperature and shape: ‘the magic happened’, ‘mine is called Bob’, ‘mine is warm’, ‘this relieves stress’, ‘this is so good, ‘it smells like curry’. These expressions indicated how much the children were engaged and how much learning took place. In my opinion, this is vital in a world where one’s culture can sometimes be supressed. The fact that the children and their families showed genuine interest, brings hope for the future especially in terms of future opportunities for these young people. A parent expressed her child’s experience this summer with Edufun: ‘Fia has loved her time at Kid's kitchen...she always proudly explains how she has made all the different foods she brings home and enjoys sharing it with us. Along with learning languages, playing games and making friends, she has been very well cared for in a warm environment. Thank you.’ As Regina stated: ‘Summer 2018 was empowering, full of learning, creativity, appreciation of differences and curriculum support’. This is what Edufun is all about. Edufun gives children a head start for the future.​By Lula Hureau

This summer the children are exploring, tasting and making food from around the world. This is what I think about food!

Travel around the Kitchen!

One of the best things about travelling is the food you can taste and enjoy.As a fan of eating, I enjoy exploring and trying different foods. For example, Spanish Tapas, Paellas. There are also the Italian pastas, fish dishes, my great Aunt from Italy fish married someone who owns a fish restaurant and is a wonderful chef, he has even released his own cookbook! Which has many fish dishes you can try.Oh and you cannot forget the French bread and cheese, France is the only place where I like cheese, there’s lots of flavour and variety.And that is just Europe, when I went to Ghana. I tried a whole new variety of foods. I particularly liked the fried yams, which is from the potato family. You can have fried yams or on their own or with beans in red sauce, which they call red. These are a few dishes that I got to try over my travels.

My love for food brings me excitement to tell you about Edufun’s theme for the year… FOOD! Edufun is taking world food to Cheltenham as of 30th of July to the 15th of August. We will be exploring and making different recipes, some gluten free, nut free, vegetarian and even vegan too! This will be followed by different games and activities too. Parents are welcome to join in with the children. We hope to see many of you there!

From Cheltenham to Tours has been a giant stepping-stone for this small person.The content is now, not only more complex, but in a language I am not used to studying in as intensively. However, with every bump and curve, you know it’ll all be worth it in the end. It is exam period, I am being tested on everything I have learnt for the past term/ semester (as they call it in France). I have been able to enjoy a few Christmas festivities as they have come around this month.

Across the channelBeing in France has got me to explore new cultures as well as discover my own heritage. For example, being a person that is fond of church, I got to meet some wonderful Americans who host a Thanksgiving dinner every year. A time where they give thanks to everything good that has come to them, it is also a time for sharing, which is what I believe the Christmas period is all about.‘La place Jean Jaures’This weekend was the beginning of the Christmas market and you could feel the magic coming alive at this time of year. From crystallised jewellery, woolly hats and scarves, coloured lights/ lamps to warm hot chocolates, crêpes, waffles, chestnuts and mulled wine. As you walk through the market, you reach the heart of the town, called ‘la place Jean Jaures’. Here you find a number of small and large Christmas trees, surrounded by ginger bread men and one large snowy bear, all covered in tinsel and lights which brighten up the town at night.The lights and tinsel take you up the high street and at the end of it, there is a wonderful Ferris wheel and an ice rink. Even in the winter, you can still enjoy fun activities (so long as you make sure you have your coat!)

Edufun’s festive season’s treatAs I enjoyed the festivities across the channel, Edufun also had an exciting end of year event: Opera and Koto experience. All those who attended took a moment to learn and enjoy the traditions and cultures from Japan and Italy. Guests were fascinated by the Japanese national string instrument The Koto played by Sakie Plunkett who mesmerized the guests with a piece of traditional music that was created about 350 years ago. Soprano was sung by Mifuji Kirstin Clark in Italian and Japanese accompanied by pianist Peter Homer. Edufun Christmas treat included traditional costumes, English and Japanese foods.

This year was the very first time where I have organised and planned a week’s worth of jam-packed fun, games and learning. I cannot deny that I was a little scared and nervous about it; it’s a big change from assisting to leading. Children pay more attention to you when you’re in charge and they look up to you. As a leader it’s important to know and explain properly what you want to teach them. I wanted to make sure that what I was doing was going to turn out as close to perfect as possible. I still have learning to do before that happens as I grow and learn from planning sessions for the children. However, I have to say this summer was a great success.

When the summer camp arrived, it was easier and less pressure than I thought it would be. The children were absolutely wonderful and were eager to participate in the activities. A lot of the children came back saying they particularly enjoyed the cooking, this is where we made crêpes and a traditional French dessert called the Tarte Tatin. The girls were particularly engaged in the designing of clothes and making props and posters to present their fashion designs, as the theme for French week was a Fashion Show in Paris. The parents enjoyed learning what their children were up to, showing great interest and excitement.

Working with Edufun has taught me how to engage with children on a new level, and has given me a new confidence and outlook on taking care and looking after children. I could definitely see how open the children were to new cultures and how they care as much as Edufun do about the world that we’re surrounded by.

Now the next chapter of my life is coming up. I am writing this to you from the airport, waiting to go off and start my new adventure in France. I am waiting quite impatiently and yet excited at the same time. I am really going to miss Cheltenham and the Edufun team, however I will continue to be blogging, contributing ideas and hopefully leading another week next summer.

There hasn’t been a moment in this lifetime where I have not travelled and been a part of two different cultures. Being brought up bilingual has given me the opportunity of being part of two worlds. But this is only part of what has made me the person I am today. It has most definitely helped me to formulate my own perspective based on a broader outlook on life.The amazing thing about cultures and languages, is that you never stop growing and learning more about yourself. I have most certainly learnt to embrace what life has to offer. It has also given me the courage to apply to go and study in France. I applied to study a course in social care, learning how to look after and arrange social and learning activities for different members of society (e.g. children, people with disabilities and the elderly). I have chosen this course because I enjoy taking care of others, and this is a way where I can study and practice what means the most to me. Furthermore I will get to go on two placements in the two years that I’ll be studying. Plus, studying in France will give me the chance to know more about my culture and background. I believe it is important to know who you are and follow, learn and create your own destiny.

Recently I found out that I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to undertake this course in a town called Tours (pictured above), where my family come from. I have to admit that this decision feels very daunting and a little scary, even though I am excited about it. I am always up for a challenge; I need to be able push myself if I want to be completely bilingual and more. This is because if you don’t, no one else will and you won’t discover your true potential and be able to be your own person. By going beyond what you think are your limits, you’ll miss out on certain experiences.I believe this is what Edufun is trying to teach the young minds of today; to be open to what the world and people have to offer you.

Every person is the sum of their experiences and they must gain their own experiences. I always wanted to have straight hair and green eyes. If that happened, people told me I would be “denying my identity”. Was that a warning? I felt challenged, I bought myself green contact lenses and went to the hairdressers. It was a good experience to stay the same even after all the changes. I wanted to stay curious, let myself make mistakes, investigate further – and add to my experiences.

Like lots of people, I wished I was a scary, complicated creature: unpredictable, complicated, full of life. I wanted to surprise other people and myself with my character, my decisions, my actions. That is a part of my personality.

I used to write a column for a newspaper called “I am another”. In the column, I once described searching for identity. It was about who I was. It was about other people trying to explain things. It was about thinking carefully about feelings and character. A publisher phoned me just before it was printed. He suggested that I write a book. It was a special chance for me to understand myself.

“The proportion of Heaven…”

The subheading was clear straight away: “My family and other wonders”. I wanted to call the book “The proportion of heaven” - that’s what the name Abini means. But that wasn’t a catchy title. 90,000 books are printed every year, so a new book should stand out. You might say: it should stand up to the challenge. Or maybe blend in with the shadows? Either way, I wrote 250 pages against generalisations. I had to realise that this book may well have been a rough sketch of my life, not a way to make money. That’s how my book “Chocolate Child” (Schokoladenkind in German) came about.

I linked “Chocolate Child” to some similar German sayings. In German if you say show your chocolate side (Schokoladenseite) that means you are showing the best of yourself. Lucky child (Glückskind) and Sunday child (Sonntagskind) mean that you are very fortunate. So, title of the book had more to do with life than skin colour. Other people usually pointed out my skin colour anyway – for me it was always obvious. I got on with other things: I wanted to let my mother know I loved her. I wanted to tell her about the country I grew up in. Tell her about things I understood well and things I knew only a little about, about big and small miracles.

What was surprising was that people understood the book so well. In fact, people saw “Chocolate Child” as lots of different things, including a story about mothers and daughters and German history. They thought it was a book for women, and it described how people “got away from everyday life” well. People thought it was a memory of “where and how we once had lived”, a “desire to be different”. Other people thought it was a book about an important time in history without sadness. People thought it was a witness to the time when it was written. They thought the book was different because it wasn’t about an average person’s life. This made me proud, because nobody tried to label me. It showed me that I am more than my skin colour.

Since I was a little girl, I have felt like I had other colours – I had to behave like them often. I had to answer questions that I hadn’t asked. I had to fight discrimination. Sometimes I was faced with people who got angry about my skin colour. It would have been simple to say that all people were racist. My mother said this was “too easy”, she thought it was important to recognise the differences between people. “In general, each human being is a special case” she said. I should never think that I know them all.

„Trust people to…”

A well protected childhood was waiting for me. My mother protected me from being hurt by logic. The German Democratic Republic protected me from getting to know the world. God protected my family from being rich and buying lots of things. My father taught me that it’s okay for rice to go lumpy.”

In 1937, my mother fled Berlin with her Jewish family. She came back to Germany in 1950 and made friends. Friends who had not only gained experience, but also could also use their experience. They would have thought it terrible, to be racist themselves. My mother trusted people to something about racism.My mother didn’t like the dark, because that’s where things were put out of sight. Things were made smaller and adjusted so they could be hidden away in the shadows. Boring old sayings, mistakes and contradictions were hidden there. Therefore, my mother made sure she left a light on for me at night. This shaped my life. Even now I shake when I think about someone being stuck in the dark. I don’t live by other people’s rough sketches, my life belongs to me. I don’t have to explain the way I live. Therefore, I think about myself as more than my skin colour, even if other people don’t think that too.

I can never achieve what a community expects me to, even if my skin is white or black. I meet other people with black skin and straight away I feel a positive reaction and sympathy - but not a sign of togetherness. I ask myself questions like; What has made this person who they are? Why do they have that opinion? Do they have a reason why they answer like that? How do they deal with things? Why are they turning to me for help? The answers to these questions are my guide. I don’t think skin colour is a reason to try and fit in. My skin colour is a benefit of mixing with lots of different people.

It is terrible that people have to work hard to deal with their skin colour in a relaxed way - sometimes people are able to do this. Learning who you are definitely depends on things in your life. For example where you live, if you are a man or a woman, your family and friends and other people you meet. Every person really is the sum of their experiences.

I am proud of my skin colour, I have never wanted it to be different, not for a second. But I also didn’t want it to be the only thing people noticed about me. My skin colour is a good thing that I thank my parents for. The colour of my skin is not a racist trap. It is actually a surprising fact. It isn’t an identity that you feel, it’s something you honestly know. My skin colour isn’t failure, but rather success.

******

Abini was a mixture, half Jewish, half Nigerian. A year had already gone by and she still hadn’t been baptised. Then my parents finally decided that I could be baptised. Christian. Most importantly, Abini is a mother of two and a daughter herself. In 2003, a German company published her book. "Chocolate Child” made it onto the Bestseller list, but not into any dark shadows! Abini thinks of herself as someone from Berlin, from Germany, from Europe. She is a mother, a daughter, a wife, a friend, and bad at car parking. Everybody is lots of these things at once.

I still remember words to songs which I sang as a child, they bring back happy 'clappy', fun memories of people and places as well. Some of my favourites are "Que sera sera'/What ever will be, will be.." by Doris Day, 'Whatever will be will be' ... "Elle a, elle a, elle a, C'est comme une gaieté, Comme un sourire..." by France Gall and lots more.

​Music researchers have found that singing can enhance listening and support the learning of vocabulary and slangs in different cultures, singing can promote positive thought patterns and even enhance the learning of a mother tongue, understand and appreciate other cultures. At Edufun we encourage language learning through singing. Everyone can join whether they are good at singing or not.

​If this resonates with you, tell us all about your sing along experience here.

Season's greetings spread some kindness and friendship, reach out to the unreachable, the poor, the hungry, those in war zones.This is always an exciting time of the year for me, a time to share experiences, big or small, a time to do something different, something special.​What makes this time of festivities different, interesting or special for you?. Share with us here.

‘False friends’ or same word different meanings where words sometimes represent something different to what you expect!Misusing words out of context could lead to people falling out with each other including bigger conflicts like war.

Did you know that:fart Polish good luck English fart grad German degree Bosnian city gift English gift German poison gift English gift Swedish married gift English gift Norwegian poison burro Italian butter Spanish donkey blubber Dutch mud English blubber but Polish shoe English but cap Romanian head English capcar French because English car chariot French trolley English chariot chips French Crisps English chips / french fries dobro Croation good Portuguese double; twice

Have you found yourself in an awkward situation before for misusing words knowingly or unknowingly? Let know.

Regina means "queen" in Latin (or Italian), used as Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.

“The mother language, in which the first words are uttered and individual thought expressed, is the foundation for the history and culture of each individual. ... Languages are the best vehicles of mutual understanding and tolerance. Respect for all languages is a key factor for ensuring peaceful coexistence, without exclusion, of societies and all of their members." Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

It is celebrated with great fun and joy by people of all ages. All children mainly have new outfits and some toys, a lot of people tend to spend on things that matter. Not everyone puts up a Christmas tree especially in the villages. Streets and shop fronts have Christmas decorations. Loud music everywhere as people hustle and bustle to and from supermarkets, bush markets, families and friends. Carols in churches al over, some attend mid night services and many do attend church on Christmas day, 25 December. Lots of foods and drinks to share not just with friends and extended families including the homeless, people virtually have their doors open 24/7.

Food and Languages. 6.15.2015I wanted 'kaszanka' but found out I had ordered 'bigos' instead when I got served. Luckily 'bigos' tasted just like my African cabbage stew.But it had much more meat and was delicious! The grilled sausages were mouth watering too. Tasting foods from other countries can be a great way of identifying with other cultures, making informed choices and learning new words.